Table saws

ABSTRACT

Table saws and features for table saws are disclosed. Some of the disclosed features are particularly relevant to portable table saws such as jobsite and bench-top table saws. Disclosed features include, but are not limited to, extendable rails, mechanisms to lock rails in position, drawers, compartments and components to store table saw accessories, switch boxes, dust collection systems, table saw housings, tables, and handles.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims the benefit of and priority from U.S.Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 61/898,964, filed Nov. 1, 2013,which is incorporated herein by reference.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present specification relates to table saws and features that may beimplemented in table saws. Various disclosed features are particularlyrelevant to portable table saws sometimes called jobsite or bench-topsaws.

BACKGROUND

A table saw is a power tool used to cut a work piece, such as a piece ofwood, to a desired size or shape. A table saw includes a work surface ortable and a circular blade extending up through the table. A person usesa table saw by placing a work piece on the table and feeding it intocontact with the spinning blade to cut the work piece to a desired size.

The table saw is one of the most basic machines used in woodworking. Forexample, table saws are used to make furniture and cabinetry, to installhardwood flooring, to cut material for countertops, to cut plywoodpanels for roofing and walls, to make pallets and crates, and for manymore projects and tasks.

Table saws come in various sizes ranging from large, stationary,industrial table saws, to small, lightweight, portable table saws.Larger table saws are sometimes called cabinet saws, mid-sized tablesaws are sometimes called contractor saws or hybrid saws, and smallertable saws are sometimes called portable, jobsite, or bench-top tablesaws. The larger table saws include induction motors and typically weighwell over 100 pounds. The smaller, portable table saws are often smalland light enough to be transported in the back of a pick-up truck, andthey often have stands with wheels so they can be moved around a jobsiteor workspace. The smaller table saws have universal motors and weighless than 100 pounds. For example, jobsite saws weigh approximately 60to 80 pounds, and the smallest bench-top saws weigh approximately 30 to40 pounds.

This document describes table saws and features that may be implementedon table saws. Some of the features described are particularly relevantto portable table saws such as jobsite and bench-top table saws.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 shows a portable table saw.

FIG. 2 shows an internal side view of the table saw of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 shows the table saw of FIG. 1 with an extension table extended.

FIG. 4 shows a front rail.

FIG. 5 shows an end view of the front rail of FIG. 4.

FIG. 6 shows rail supports along the front of a table.

FIG. 7A shows a perspective view of a rail support.

FIG. 7B shows a side view of the rail support of FIG. 7A.

FIG. 7C shows a perspective view of another rail support.

FIG. 7D shows a side view of the rail support of FIG. 7C.

FIG. 8 shows a rear rail.

FIG. 8A shows a rail support for a rear rail.

FIG. 8B shows a side view of the rail support of FIG. 8A.

FIG. 9 shows a lock mechanism for a rail, with the mechanism unlocked.

FIG. 10 shows a lock mechanism for a rail, with the mechanism locked.

FIG. 11 shows an exploded view of a lock mechanism for a rail.

FIG. 11A shows a wire link.

FIG. 12 shows a perspective view of the lock mechanism of FIG. 11.

FIG. 13 shows a bottom view of the lock mechanism of FIG. 11.

FIG. 14 shows a rotating member.

FIG. 15 shows a locking structure.

FIG. 16 shows a side view of a locking mechanism with a handle out.

FIG. 17 shows a side view of a locking mechanism with a handle in.

FIG. 18 shows the underside of a table.

FIG. 19 shows a rear rail attached to a saw.

FIG. 20 shows a table saw with a drawer to store saw components andaccessories.

FIG. 21 is a top view of the drawer of FIG. 20.

FIG. 22 is a perspective view of the drawer of FIG. 20, with the top ofthe drawer open.

FIG. 23 shows a drawer used to store table saw components andaccessories.

FIG. 24 shows the drawer of FIG. 23 with a lid open.

FIG. 25 shows the drawer of FIG. 23 storing various saw components andaccessories.

FIG. 26 also shows the drawer of FIG. 23 storing various saw componentsand accessories.

FIG. 27 shows the drawer of FIG. 23 with areas shaped to store specificcomponents and accessories.

FIG. 28 also shows the drawer of FIG. 23 with areas shaped to storespecific components and accessories.

FIG. 29 is a bottom view of the drawer of FIG. 23.

FIG. 30 is another bottom view of the drawer of FIG. 23.

FIG. 31 is another view of the drawer of FIG. 23, with severalstructures enlarged.

FIG. 32 shows a drawer lid.

FIG. 33 shows the bottom of the drawer lid shown in FIG. 32.

FIG. 34 shows hinges on a drawer lid.

FIG. 35 shows a drawer lid attached to a drawer tray.

FIG. 36 is a side view of a table saw showing slots for a drawer.

FIG. 37 shows a table saw with a drawer and drawer latch.

FIG. 38 shows a drawer with a latch.

FIG. 39 shows a latch.

FIG. 40 is a side, perspective view of a table saw with storage for afence, push stick and cord.

FIG. 41 is a side, plan view of a table saw with storage for a fence,push stick and cord.

FIG. 42 is a perspective view of a front bracket.

FIG. 43 is a front view of the front bracket of FIG. 42.

FIG. 44 is a perspective view of a rear bracket.

FIG. 45 is a front view of the rear bracket of FIG. 44.

FIG. 46 is a view of a saw housing configured to accommodate the frontand rear brackets of FIGS. 42 and 44.

FIG. 47 shows a catch used in a fence storage system.

FIG. 48 shows a pushstick in a mount.

FIG. 49 shows the back of a table saw with on-board storage for an extrablade and blade wrenches.

FIG. 50 also shows the back of a table saw with on-board storage for anextra blade and blade wrenches.

FIG. 51 shows a bracket used in the on-board storage of FIGS. 49 and 50.

FIG. 52 shows the bracket of FIG. 51 with other components.

FIG. 53 shows a locking knob.

FIG. 54 also shows the locking knob of FIG. 53.

FIG. 55 shows the locking knob of FIG. 53 offset to hold a blade wrench.

FIG. 56 shows a blade wrench.

FIG. 57 shows another blade wrench.

FIG. 58 shows a table saw with a switchbox.

FIG. 59 shows a perspective view of a switchbox.

FIG. 60 shows a switchbox with an on/off switch toggled on.

FIG. 61 shows a switchbox with a bypass switch and key.

FIG. 62 shows a front elevation view of the switchbox of FIG. 59.

FIG. 63 shows a back perspective view of the switchbox of FIG. 59.

FIG. 64 shows a back elevation view of the switchbox of FIG. 59.

FIG. 65 shows a left-side view of the switchbox of FIG. 59.

FIG. 66 shows a right-side view of the switchbox of FIG. 59.

FIG. 67 shows a top view of the switchbox of FIG. 59.

FIG. 68 shows a bottom view of the switchbox of FIG. 59.

FIG. 69 shows an exploded view of the switchbox of FIG. 59.

FIG. 70 shows a perspective view of a paddle used in the switchbox ofFIG. 59.

FIG. 71 shows a front view of the paddle of FIG. 70.

FIG. 72 shows a left side view of the paddle of FIG. 70.

FIG. 73 shows a perspective back view of the paddle of FIG. 70.

FIG. 74 shows a back elevation view of the paddle of FIG. 70.

FIG. 75 shows a top view of the paddle of FIG. 70.

FIG. 76 shows a bottom view of the paddle of FIG. 70.

FIG. 77 shows a front cover used in the switchbox of FIG. 59.

FIG. 78 shows a front elevation view of the front cover of FIG. 77.

FIG. 79 shows a right-side view of the front cover of FIG. 77.

FIG. 80 shows a back perspective view of the front cover of FIG. 77.

FIG. 81 shows a back elevation view of the front cover of FIG. 77.

FIG. 82 shows a perspective view of a retaining structure.

FIG. 83 shows an elevation view of a retaining structure.

FIG. 84 shows a side view of a retaining structure.

FIG. 85 shows a paddle activation link used in the switchbox of FIG. 59.

FIG. 86 shows a top view of the paddle activation link of FIG. 85.

FIG. 87 shows a perspective top view of the paddle activation link ofFIG. 85.

FIG. 88 shows a paddle-end view of the paddle activation link of FIG.85.

FIG. 89 shows a side view of the paddle activation link of FIG. 85.

FIG. 90 shows a perspective bottom view of the paddle activation link ofFIG. 85.

FIG. 91 shows a bottom elevation view of the paddle activation link ofFIG. 85.

FIG. 92 shows a perspective view of a front shell of a case used in theswitchbox of FIG. 59.

FIG. 93 shows a front elevation view of the front shell shown in FIG.92.

FIG. 94 shows a back perspective view of the front shell shown in FIG.92.

FIG. 95 shows a back elevation view of the front shell shown in FIG. 92.

FIG. 96 shows a perspective view of a rear shell of a case used in theswitchbox of FIG. 59.

FIG. 97 shows a front elevation view of the rear shell shown in FIG. 96.

FIG. 98 shows a back perspective view of the rear shell shown in FIG.96.

FIG. 99 shows a back elevation view of the rear shell shown in FIG. 96.

FIG. 100 shows a wire form.

FIG. 101 shows the rear of a switchbox, with the rear cover removed.

FIG. 102 shows a front perspective view of a finger actuator used in abypass switch.

FIG. 103 shows a front elevation view of the finger actuator of FIG.102.

FIG. 104 shows a rear perspective view of the finger actuator of FIG.102.

FIG. 105 shows a rear elevation view of the finger actuator of FIG. 102.

FIG. 106 shows a right-side view of the finger actuator of FIG. 102.

FIG. 107 shows a bypass key.

FIG. 108 shows an end view of the bypass key of FIG. 107.

FIG. 109 shows a side view of the bypass key of FIG. 107.

FIG. 110 shows a wire form used in a bypass switch.

FIG. 111 shows a spring used in a bypass switch.

FIG. 112 shows the spring of FIG. 111 mounted in a switchbox.

FIG. 113 shows an internal, left side view of a table saw with a sectionenlarged.

FIG. 114 shows an elevation plate.

FIG. 115 shows another view of the elevation plate of FIG. 114.

FIG. 116 shows a left side view of a trunnion.

FIG. 117 shows a right-side view of a trunnion.

FIG. 118 shows an arbor block.

FIG. 119 shows another view of the arbor block of FIG. 118 with aV-bracket.

FIG. 120 shows a V-bracket.

FIG. 121 shows another view of the V-bracket of FIG. 120.

FIG. 122 shows an internal, right-side perspective view of a table sawwith various components removed.

FIG. 123 shows an internal, right-side perspective view of a table sawwith a dust shroud and dust chute.

FIG. 124 shows a top view of a dust shroud and dust chute.

FIG. 125 shows a left half of a dust shroud and dust chute.

FIG. 126 shows a right half of a dust shroud and dust chute.

FIG. 127 shows a dust shroud and part of a dust chute.

FIG. 128 shows a rear view of a dust chute.

FIG. 129 shows a housing for a table saw.

FIG. 130 shows a top view of a base for a housing.

FIG. 131 shows a bottom view of a base for a housing.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

FIG. 1 shows a table saw 10. The table saw includes a table 12 with anopening 14 and an insert 16 in the opening. A blade 18 extends upthrough a slot 20 in the insert. A housing 22 supports the table and amotor is within the housing. The motor is operably connected to theblade to drive or spin the blade. To use the table saw, a user places awork piece on the table and slides it into contact with the spinningblade to make a cut.

Table saws such as saw 10 can be equipped with “active injury mitigationtechnology.” That phrase refers to technology that detects contact orproximity between a person and the spinning blade, and then performssome predetermined action, such as stopping and/or retracting the blade,to mitigate any injury. Exemplary implementations of active injurymitigation technology are described in International Patent ApplicationPublication No. WO 01/26064 A2, which is incorporated herein byreference.

The blade in a table saw is typically supported in such a way that auser can change the elevation and tilt of the blade relative to thetable to cut material of various thicknesses and to make angled cuts.FIG. 2 is an internal side view of table saw 10 with housing 22 removed.FIG. 2 shows blade 18 supported by an elevation carriage 30, which inturn is supported by a trunnion 32 hanging from table 12. The elevationcarriage moves up and down relative to the trunnion to change theelevation of the blade relative to the table, and the elevation carriageand trunnion tilt or pivot from side to side to change the angle of theblade relative to the table.

In some table saws, the elevation of the blade is changed by turning ahandwheel, such as handwheel 34 in FIG. 1. Typically, the handwheel isconnected to a shaft which turns miter gears to raise and lower theelevation carriage, or the handwheel turns a screw that pivots theelevation carriage up and down. Other table saws use a lever or othermechanism to raise and lower the blade. Still other elevation mechanismsare described in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/946,315, titled“Blade Elevation Mechanisms and Anti-Backdrive Mechanisms for TableSaws,” filed Jul. 19, 2013, which is incorporated herein by reference.

Tilting the blade is accomplished in some table saws by turning a secondhandwheel, and in other table saws by releasing a clamp and moving theelevation handwheel to the side. Still other tilt mechanisms aredescribed in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/946,101, titled “BladeTilt Mechanisms for Table Saws,” filed Jul. 19, 2013, which isincorporated herein by reference.

A blade guard, spreader, and/or riving knife may be positioned adjacentthe rear edge of the blade to shield the blade and/or to prevent a workpiece from catching the rear of the blade. FIG. 1 shows a riving knife36 supported by elevation carriage 30. Riving knife 36 raises, lowersand tilts with elevation carriage 30, and therefore, maintains aconstant position relative to the blade. Various mechanisms for mountinga blade guard, spreader, and/or riving knife to an elevation carriage ina table saw are described in U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser.No. 61/892,246, titled “Systems to Mount and Index Riving Knives andSpreaders in for Table Saws,” filed Oct. 17, 2013, which is incorporatedherein by reference.

As seen in FIG. 1, the blade and riving knife or spreader extend throughopening 14 in table 12 from below the table to an elevation above thetable. Opening 14 is sometimes called a “throat” or “blade opening.”Opening 14 is often large enough for a user to perform some types ofservice or maintenance to the saw through the opening, such as changingthe blade. An opening in the table around the blade, however, means thetable cannot support a work piece next to the blade. Accordingly, insert16 (also called a “throat plate”) is placed in the opening around theblade to support a work piece adjacent the blade. The insert includes aslot or channel through which the blade extends. The insert is removableso a user can access internal components of the saw through the bladeopening (for example, a user can remove the insert to change the bladeor to access the mount for the riving knife). Various inserts aredescribed in U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 61/892,231,titled “Inserts for Table Saws,” filed Oct. 17, 2013, which isincorporated herein by reference.

Often a user of a table saw guides the work piece past the blade with afence, such as fence 38 in FIG. 1. The fence mounts to the top of thetable saw and provides a fixed reference surface relative to the blade.The user can slide the work piece against and along the fence to make acut. The fence helps keep the work piece moving in a straight pathwithout shifting or rotating, and therefore, helps produce a straightcut. The fence can be positioned at various positions relative to theblade so that a work piece can be cut to different dimensions. The fencetypically clamps to a rail running along the front edge of the tablesaw, such as front rail 40 in FIG. 1, and the fence can be locked orclamped anywhere along the rail. The fence may also rest on or clamp toa rail running along the rear of a table saw, such as rear rail 42 inFIG. 1. Various fences are described in U.S. Provisional PatentApplication Ser. No. 61/892,237, titled “Fences for Table Saws,” filedOct. 17, 2013, which is incorporated herein by reference.

The length of the rail along the front of the saw determines how far thefence can be positioned from the blade, and therefore, the largestdimension that can be cut on the saw using the fence. This may be calledthe cutting capacity or rip capacity of the saw. Some table saws includerails sufficiently long to provide 36 inches of cutting capacity 13 inother words, the face of the fence nearest the blade is 36 inches awayfrom the blade so a work piece can be cut to 36 inches wide. Other tablesaws include rails with 52 inches of cutting capacity. Saws with thesecutting capacities are typically stationary saws called cabinet saws orcontractor saws. Smaller, portable saws, such as jobsite or bench-topsaws, typically provide anywhere from 18 inches to about 30 inches ofcutting capacity. These smaller, portable saws have shorter rails inorder to minimize the size and weight of the saw. The rails may move ortelescope out to provide more cutting capacity.

FIG. 3 shows table saw 10 with a front rail 40 and a rear rail 42extending out to the right side of the saw to increase the cuttingcapacity of the saw. An extension table 50 extends between the rightends of the front and rear rails and is connected to both rails. Theextension table provides an additional support surface for work pieces,especially when the rails are extended. The edge of the extension tablenearest the main table can be stepped to overlap a portion 52 of themain table. Such a step makes the extension table wider without reducingthe size of the main table and saw housing. Extension table 50 can beconnected to the front and rear rails in many ways, for example, byscrews which thread into sockets on the front and rear rails, or byscrews which thread into clamping plates that clamp against surfaces onthe front and rear rails when the screws are tightened. In FIG. 3, fence38 is positioned over extension table 50.

Front rail 40 and rear rail 42 are attached to table 12 in such a waythat they can slide to the right to provide increased cutting capacity.The configuration of the front and rear rails and how the rails attachto the saw can vary. One example of a front rail 40 is shown isolated inFIGS. 4 and 5. The rail is elongate with a channel 60 extending alongthe top of the rail. The channel helps guide the fence when a userslides the fence along the rail. The channel also includes a front edge61 against which the fence can clamp. The rail is designed so that itcan be extruded out of aluminum to facilitate manufacturing.

In the depicted embodiment, one rail support 63 and two rail supports 64are attached to the front edge of table 12, as shown in FIG. 6; railsupport 63 is toward the left edge of the table and rail supports 64 aregenerally in the middle of the table and toward the right edge of thetable. The rear side of the rail is shaped to form a generally C-shapedchannel 62 to fit over rail supports 63 and 64, and front rail 40 issupported along the front of the table by sliding C-shaped channel 62over the rail supports. Rail support 63 is shaped as shown in FIGS. 7Aand 7B, and the flange of C-shaped channel 62 fits behind the head ofthe support so that the flange is between the head and the table. Railsupports 64 are shaped as shown in FIGS. 7C and 7D to fit in theC-shaped channel, with a flange of the channel fitting into the slotshown in the rail support rather than fitting between the table and therail support. The slot is sized to fit the flange on the C-shapedchannel closely and to overlap the flange sufficiently so that the raildoes not twist when the rail is clamped to the table. The spacingbetween the head of rail support 63 and the table is sufficient todirect and hold the front rail, but is greater than the slot on railsupports 64 so that the front rail can align and move over rail support63 as the front rail extends and retracts. A wider spacing provides moretolerance for the front rail to move on and off the rail support. Therail supports can be mounted to the table in many ways, such as by boltsor screws. Alternative rails supports could be configured and mounted tothe table so that they maintain their position relative to the tablewithout twisting or rotating around their mounting bolt, which couldcause the rail support to be misaligned relative to C-shaped channel 62if the rail supports were not symmetrical. Alternative rail supportscould also be shaped to extend below the bottom of the front edge of thetable in order to provide a support surface to prevent or minimize somefront rails from flexing or twisting when the fence clamps to the rail.Rail supports could also be configured to adjust the position of thefront rail relative to the table by providing some type of eccentricassociated with the rail supports. For example, the rail supports couldinclude a mounting hole that is offset from the center of the railsupport so that rotating the rail support around the mounting holecreates an eccentric action that adjusts the position of the rail. Asanother example, the table may include an oversized mounting hole thatallows the position of the rail support to be adjusted and then boltedin place.

FIG. 8 shows an example of rear rail 42. It is configured similar to theexample of front rail 40 shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, except the rear railhas a smaller front-to-back dimension and a smooth upper surface becausethe fence slides along the top surface of the rear rail without clampingto the rear rail. The side of rear rail 42 closest to the front of thesaw includes a C-shaped channel, like C-shaped channel 62 discussed inconnection with front rail 42, and that C-shaped channel is used tomount the rear rail to the rear edge of table 12 in the same manner asthe front rail is mounted to the front edge of the table. In thedepicted embodiment, rear rail 42 is supported by rail supports 65, likethe one shown in FIGS. 8A and 8B, and the flange of the C-shaped channelfits into the slot shown in the rail support. The width of the slot canbe greater than the slot on rail supports 64 because the rear rail doesnot need to clamp to the table if the front rail is sufficientlysecured. The rear rail supports can also be configured to adjust theposition of the rear rail relative to the table, for example, with sometype of eccentric action as described for the front rail.

With this configuration, the front and rear rails are free to slidealong the rail supports. The front and rear rails will slide togetherbecause they are connected by extension table 50, so extending frontrail 40 to the right, as shown in FIG. 3, will cause rear rail 42 alsoto move to the right. In the retracted position shown in FIG. 1, whereextension table 50 is flush against the right edge of table 12, therails are supported by all three rail supports. In the extended positionshown in FIG. 3 the rails are supported by the middle and right railsupports; the left rail support is exposed. Spacing the middle and rightrails supports apart, and positioning the rail supports so that therails always ride on at least two supports, insures that the rails aresufficiently supported in the extended position.

Table saw 10 can be constructed so that the front and rear rails couldbe locked in place anywhere between the fully retracted position shownin FIG. 1 and the fully extended position shown in FIG. 3. However, inthe depicted embodiment, the front and rear rails are configured tooccupy either the retracted position or the extended position only; therails cannot be locked in place when the rails are between the fullyretracted and fully extended positions. The front rail on a table sawtypically includes a ruler so a user can quickly move the fence to adesired distance from the blade without having to use a separate tapemeasure to measure the distance from the blade to the fence. However, ifthe front rail can be positioned anywhere along the front of the table,then the ruler must somehow adjust to indicate the correct position ofthe fence relative to the blade, and that would add complexity and costto the saw. Allowing the rails to lock in only two positions simplifiesthis problem because the position of the rail relative to the blade isknown for both the retracted and extended positions. In the depictedembodiment, two rulers 66 and 68 are attached to the top surface offront rail 40, as shown in FIG. 4. Ruler 66 is used when the rail is inits retracted position and ruler 68 is used when the rail is in itsextended position. Ruler 66 includes two scales, one to use when thefence is positioned to the right of the blade and the other to use whenthe fence is to the left of the blade. The rulers have what may bethought of as “zero” indications that correspond and mark the positionof the blade when the rail is in its retracted and extended positions,respectively. Top ruler 66 includes two zero indications, one for usewith the fence on the right side of the blade and the other for use withthe fence on the left side of the blade. With this configuration, therulers can be adhered or attached directly to the top surface of thefront rail and the saw need not include a ruler that somehow adjusts asthe front rail moves. A user simply uses the correct ruler depending onwhether the extension table is extended or retracted, and whether thefence is to the left or right of the blade.

The front and rear rails are held in place by a locking mechanism 70that clamps the front rail to the front edge of table 12. A useroperates the locking mechanism by grasping a handle 72 positioned underthe front rail, and pulling or pivoting the handle forward so that itextends out from the front rail, as shown in FIG. 9. With handle 72 out,both the front and rear rails are free to move, so a user can grasp thehandle, the front rail, and/or extension table 50 and slide the railsout to the extended position. The user can then pivot handle 72 backunder the front rail, as shown in FIG. 10, to lock the rails in place.Handle 72 is configured to pivot out a noticeable distance from thefront of the saw, several inches for example, to indicate to a user whenthe rails are not locked in place. The handle is also positioned so thatit extends out into the region in which a user would stand to use thesaw, thereby further indicating when the rails are unlocked. The handlecan also be red or some other bright color so that it is easy to seewhen extended. As shown in FIGS. 9 and 10, handle 72 has a side-to-sidewidth sized so that a user can grasp the handle to slide the rails out,but a narrow top-to-bottom profile so that it tucks up and out of theway under the front rail when the rails are locked in place.

Locking mechanism 70 is shown in FIGS. 11, 12 and 13, with FIG. 11 beingan exploded view of the locking mechanism. The locking mechanismincludes a right support 74 and a left support 76. The locking mechanismbolts onto the bottom of front rail 40 with four bolts 78 that passthrough two holes 80 in the left support and two holes 82 in the rightsupport, and then thread into corresponding holes on the underside ofthe front rail, and/or pass through holes in the front rail and threadinto nuts. Of course, the side supports may take other forms. Forexample, each side support may be held in place with only one screw orbolt, and each side support may include locating pins to position thesupport.

Handle 72 is captured between and supported by the two side supports 74and 76. Cylindrical protrusions 84 extend out from each side of thehandle and fit into holes 86 in the right and left side supports so thatthe handle can rotate with respect to the side supports. The back of thehandle includes two spaced-apart tabs 88 that extend outward, and eachtab has a hole 90 positioned so that the holes are coaxial. In thedepicted embodiment, an elongate link 92 fits between the two tabs and apin passes through holes 90 and through a corresponding hole in theelongate link to pivotally attach one end of the elongate link to thehandle. The opposite end of the elongate link is pivotally attached to arotating member 96, which is supported for rotation by right and leftside supports 74 and 76. Rotating member is shown isolated in FIG. 14.Cylindrical protrusions 98 extend out from the sides of rotating member96 to fit in holes 100 in the side supports. The end of elongate link 92opposite handle 72 is pivotally joined to rotating member 96 by a pinthat extends through corresponding holes in the links. In otherembodiments elongate link 92 may be made from a wire formed to connecthandle 72 to rotating member 96, such as wire link 93 shown isolated inFIG. 11A.

Rotating member 96 is also connected to a locking structure 102. Thelocking structure is shown separately in FIG. 15. Rotating member 96includes two tabs 104, and locking structure 102 includes an arm 106that fits between the tabs on the rotating member. A pin then passesthrough holes in the tabs and arm to connect the locking structure androtating member in such a way that the locking structure can pivot orrotate about the pin. A flange 105 is located on each side of lockingstructure 102. The flanges are adjacent the right and left side supports74 and 76 and may contact and move along the side supports when lockingstructure 102 pivots to guide the rotation of the locking structure.

A cylindrical cavity 108 is positioned in the middle of rotating member96, running between and perpendicular to cylindrical projections 98, tohold a coil spring 110. Spring 110 is positioned to extend out andcontact locking structure 102, and to bias the locking structure awayfrom the rotating member. Locking structure 102 also prevents spring 110from falling out of cavity 108. A short cylindrical stub 112 projectsout from the inner surface of the locking structure 102 and the end ofspring 110 extending out from rotating member 96 fits over and aroundthe stub to keep the spring in position.

Locking structure 102 includes a hook 114 configured to fit over a lip116 on rotating member 96. By hooking over the lip, hook 114 holdslocking structure 102 and rotating member 96 together against the pushof spring 110, while allowing the locking structure to compress thespring when pivoted toward the rotating member. This configuration ofthe locking structure and rotating member facilitates clamping the frontrail in position, as explained below.

When a user pulls handle 72 out, as shown in FIG. 16, the handle pullslink 92, which in turn causes rotating member 96 to rotatecounterclockwise as viewed in FIG. 16. When rotating member 96 rotatescounterclockwise, locking structure 102 disengages from table 12 andfront rail 40 is free to slide. When a user pivots handle 72 in, asshown in FIG. 17, the handle pushes link 92, which in turn causesrotating member 96 to rotate clockwise as viewed in FIG. 17. Whenrotating member 96 rotates clockwise, locking structure 102 engagestable 12 to lock front rail 40 in place. Locking structure 102 includesa ridge or tab 116 that moves into contact with and presses against theback side of the front edge of table 12, as shown in FIG. 17. When thathappens, spring 110 compresses and locking structure 102 pivots slightlyback toward rotating member 96. Spring 110 thus provides a forcepressing locking structure 102 against the table to lock the front railin place. Spring 110 can be selected to provide whatever clamping forceis desired. In the depicted embodiment, a spring providing approximately40 pounds of force was selected, although springs in the range of 20 to50 pounds or more could be selected.

The back side of the front edge of table 12 includes two V-shapedgrooves or sockets 118 and 120, as shown in FIG. 18. Ridge 116 onlocking structure 102 is shaped so that it will fit into the V-shapedsockets. V-shaped sockets 118 and 120 are formed by walls 122 that are,in the depicted embodiment, integral with the table, but could be madefrom separate components attached to the table. The inner surfaces ofwalls 122 are angled to form the V-shapes. When locking structure 102moves into contact with table 112, ridge 116 fits into and centerslocking structure 102 within V-shaped socket 118 or 120 because of thecorresponding shapes of the sockets and ridge 116. In this manner, thefront rail is indexed to either the retracted or extended position.Sockets 118 and 120 and ridge 116 also provide mechanical stops orabutments that prevent front rail 40 from moving to the right or left,as viewed in FIG. 1, when the rail is locked in place. As a result,locking mechanism 70 need not hold the rail from lateral movement and asmaller clamping force is able to hold the rails in place. As stated, aclamping force of approximately 40 pounds is used in the depictedembodiment. Systems which clamp a front rail to a table withoutmechanical stops to prevent lateral movement must provide enoughclamping force to prevent the rail from moving to the side when, forexample, the end of the rail is bumped. The clamping force necessary toprevent such lateral movement (lateral relative to the clamping force)is typically much greater than 40 pounds.

Ridge 116 and sockets 118 and 120 also prevent a user from moving thefront rail unless handle 72 is fully open. If the handle is not fullyopen, ridge 116 will bump into the walls of socket 118 or 120 andprevent the rail from sliding.

Rotating member 96 also includes a flange 124 positioned on the side ofthe rotating member generally opposite locking structure 102, and theunderside of table 14 includes a wall 126 running parallel to the frontedge of the table and spaced back from the front edge. Flange 124 onrotating member 96 interferes with wall 126 so that a user cannot pivothandle 72 closed unless the front rail is positioned in either theextended or retracted position. When handle 72 is pulled out to its openand unclamped position, flange 124 pivots down, as seen in FIG. 16, andclears wall 126 so the user can slide the rails to the extended orretracted position. Only when the rail is properly positioned so thatflange 124 is beyond the end of wall 126 can a user pivot handle 72closed to lock the rail in place. With this configuration, a user canlock the front rail in either the extended or retracted position only,not in any other position.

As seen in FIGS. 12 and 17, handle 72 includes shoulders 128 positionednext to the handle's pivot axis. Those shoulders act as stops to limitthe upward rotation of handle 72. The shoulders abut the right and leftside supports 74 and 76 to prevent the handle from pivoting too farupward.

Right and left side supports 74 and 76 can also act as stops to limithow far front rail 40 can move. For example, right side support 74 canbump into a wall or flange on the underside of table 14 to limit how farfront rail 40 can extend out. Such stops provide indications to a userwhen the front rail is moved to its extended or retracted position.

FIG. 19 shows rear rail 42 attached to table 12. A pin 130 extendsthrough the rear rail and is positioned so that when the rails are fullyextended, the pin abuts the middle rail support 65. By so doing, the pinreduces play in the rear rail, and prevents the rear rail from movingfurther out when, for example, a user pushes a work piece against thefence with the fence clamped to the front rail. Without a mechanicalstop such as pin 130, the rear rail might move out slightly (to theright when facing the front of the saw) during use because ofmanufacturing tolerances, which would adversely affect the ability ofthe fence to provide a fixed reference to make a cut. Also, mechanicallylimiting the ability of the rear rail to move further out means the rearrail need not be clamped in position, thereby simplifying the attachmentof moveable rails to tables. Middle rear rail support 65 is attached totable 12 with a bolt 132 having a head that extends out sufficiently toabut pin 130. The left-most rail support, furthest from extension table50, is secured to table 12 with a bolt having a head small enough sothat pin 130 clears the bolt and slides past when the rail is fullyretracted.

With a locking mechanism as described, a user simply pivots a handle andslides the rails out to increase the cutting capacity of the saw. Asingle actuator or handle is used to both lock and unlock the rails; theuser does not have to separately unlock the rear rail. Also, the usercan slide the rails out by grasping the same handle used to lock andunlock the rails. This system provides an intuitive and easy-to-usesystem to provide additional cutting capacity on smaller table saws suchas jobsite and bench-top table saws.

Table saws often come with accessories such as miter gauges, bladeguards, and riving knives. Providing storage locations on the saw forsuch accessories when they are not in use makes the saw more convenientand easy to use. Any such storage locations should be designed to holdthe accessories securely so that the accessories do not fall off the sawwhen the saw is moved. The accessories should also be easily accessible,and they should be stored out of the way so that they do not obstruct orinterfere with the use of the saw. This is a particular problem forportable table saws such as jobsite and bench-top table saws. Space islimited on portable table saws, so deciding where and how to storeaccessories presents a significant design challenge.

A unique solution to this challenge is drawer 500 shown in FIG. 20. Thedrawer is located just underneath the right side of table 12 and iscovered by extension table 50 when the extension table is flush againstthe right edge of table 12. The drawer is accessed by sliding theextension table out, and then sliding the drawer itself out. When notbeing accessed, the drawer can be slid back so that a portion of thedrawer is under table 12, as shown in FIG. 20, and the extension tablecan be retracted if desired, as shown in FIG. 1. FIG. 21 shows table saw10 with drawer 500 extended out. FIG. 22 shows the drawer extended outand open, and various saw components and accessories are stored in thedrawer. The drawer provides a unique and convenient way to store andaccess table saw accessories and is applicable to all table saws, but itis particularly applicable to portable table saws. The location of thedrawer takes advantage of what might otherwise be empty space under theright side of the table.

Drawer 500 includes a drawer tray 502 with a lid 504, as shown in FIGS.23 and 24. The perimeter of tray 502 is shaped to provide clearance forcomponents within saw 10, and accordingly, has what may be thought of asa shape resulting from two rectangles being joined together, onerectangle being smaller than the other. Of course, the drawer can takedifferent shapes depending on the design of the saw.

In the depicted embodiment, as shown specifically in FIGS. 25 through31, drawer 500 includes defined areas to store a blade guard 510, ariving knife 512, a brake cartridge 514 or a dado brake cartridge 515used in some active injury mitigation systems, a set of anti-kickbackpawls 516, a miter gauge 518, three hex wrenches 520, 522 and 524 (ofsizes 3 mm, 4 mm and 5 mm, for example), and a pencil 526. Defined areas528, 530, 532 and 534, labeled in FIGS. 27 and 28, are along the bottomof the drawer tray and are molded roughly like the shape of thecomponents stored in these areas. The bottom of the drawer tray aroundthese areas is raised so that the defined areas are recessed. Inaddition to these defined areas, there is a rectangular recessed area536 to store miscellaneous items. The bottom or floor of area 536includes slots to allow dust to escape.

Area 528 is shaped to accommodate a riving knife. Snap tabs 538 and 539are positioned along the edge of the area to help hold the riving knifein place. The riving knife deflects the tabs when the riving knife ispushed into the area and the tabs snap back to hold the riving knife inplace when the riving knife is fully seated. An oblong finger hole 544is located on the bottom of the drawer tray along an edge of area 528 toallow a finger to scoop under the riving knife and pull the riving knifeout of the drawer. One or more of tabs 538 and 539 can be configured sothat they must be deflected manually to release the riving knife.

Area 530 is shaped to accommodate a blade guard and spreader. A fingerscoop 546 (labeled in FIG. 27), formed by a recessed area in the raisedsurface of the drawer tray, is located along the back edge of thespreader of the blade guard and partially extends underneath thespreader to allow a finger to scoop under the spreader to remove theblade guard. In order to help keep the blade guard in place, the tip ofthe front of the blade guard fits under a small cover 548. A long,narrow hump 547 runs along the bottom of the blade guard near the tip ofthe spreader also to help keep the blade guard in position. As with theriving knife, there are tabs 538 and 539 are to hold the blade guard inplace. Blade guards often include moveable sides, and an upwardextension 549 and a stub 550 (labeled in FIG. 27) help keep the sides inplace.

Some table saws are equipped with active injury mitigation technology,and area 532 is shaped to accommodate a brake cartridge or a dado brakecartridge used in some types of active injury mitigation systems. Acylindrical extension 552, shaped like a hollow cylinder enclosed with arounded top, extends up from the bottom of the drawer tray. Four equallyspaced slits 554 run up along the side of the cylinder and wrap aroundto the top, stopping short of meeting each other at the top. At thebottom of cylindrical extension 552 the slits continue back up to thebottom of the drawer tray as the extension extends down a bit past thebottom of the drawer tray. The slits allow the cylinder to compressslightly when a brake cartridge or other object is placed over theextension. This helps hold the object in place as the sides of thecylindrical extension push against the object. Another small cylindricalextension 556 is used together with the cylindrical extension 552 tohelp keep the brake cartridge in position in the drawer. A hole 531allows room for a portion of the brake cartridge to extend down past thebottom surface of the drawer, if needed.

Area 532 is designed to store three hex wrenches. Holders 560 secure thewrenches in place.

Area 534 is designed for a set of anti-kickback pawls. A structure 562holds the anti-kickback pawls in place.

A miter gauge 518 can also be stored in the drawer by placing the mitergauge over the blade guard and brake cartridge, as seen in FIG. 25. Acylindrical handle on the miter gauge fits through a large round hole592 in the bottom of the drawer tray and an edge on the miter gauge fitsin a rectangular recessed area 594. There are a series of holes 596 onthe bottom surface of area 594 to let dust escape. Support structure 598supports the tip of the miter gauge bar.

Lid 504 is shown isolated in FIGS. 32 and 33. On the top surface of thelid there is a large rectangular, slightly recessed area 608 withinwhich a label or sticker can be attached with information about the sawand/or with safety warnings. On the bottom or interior surface of thelid there is an area 624 to store an owner's manual. The owner's manualcan be held in place by clips and tabs, such as clips 625 and tabs 626.

In the depicted embodiment, lid 504 is attached to drawer tray 502 byhinges. As seen in FIG. 34, three hinge extensions 612 are spaced alongthe back edge of lid 504. The extensions are molded as part of the lidand a thin strip of material 614 joins each extension to the lid tocreate flex points or living hinges so the lid can open while theextensions are held secure. Three hinge sockets 618 are spaced along theback of drawer tray 502, as seen in FIG. 35. The extensions are designedto compress slightly as they are inserted into the sockets, and to snapout and lock in place when the ends of the extensions pass beyond thebottoms of the sockets, as shown in FIG. 35, thereby securing the lid tothe drawer tray. The lid can also be removed from the drawer bycompressing the extensions and pulling them out of the sockets.

A latch 628 is molded into the side of the lid opposite the hinges, asshown in FIGS. 32 and 33, and is configured to latch over acorresponding lip 630 (shown in FIG. 27) on drawer tray 502. Latch 628is slightly flexible so when the lid is closed latch 628 moves over andpast lip 630, and then flexes back to catch on the lip and hold the lidclosed. A user simple flexes latch 628 out to open the lid.

Drawer 500 is mounted in the saw such that the user is able to slide itout to the right far enough for the lid to clear the edge of the tablewhen the lid is opened. Table 12 and/or extension table 50 may benotched or shaped to provide sufficient clearance for the drawer to openand for a user to reach between the edge of the drawer and extensiontable 50 to open the drawer.

Drawer 500 is supported in the saw by two forward supports 680, one onthe side of the drawer nearest the front of the saw, the other on theopposite side of the drawer nearest the rear of the saw, and both nearthe side of the drawer with latch 628. (Supports 680 are labeled in atleast FIGS. 27, 28 and 35.) Front rail 40 and rear rail 42 each includea channel 681 extending along the length of the rail, as shown in FIGS.5 and 8. Forward supports 680 are shaped to fit into those channels tosupport the drawer, and to slide along the channels when the drawer isextended or retracted.

Drawer 500 is further supported in the saw by two rear supports 682,shown in FIGS. 29 and 30. Rear supports 682 are located at the end oftwo arms 506 that extend out from the side of the drawer adjacent hingessockets 618, one arm extending out from the side of the drawer nearestthe front of the saw, the other on the opposite side of the drawernearest the rear of the saw. In the depicted embodiment, arms 506 aresomewhat triangularly shaped. The arms extend out from the drawer sothat the drawer is supported in the saw when the drawer is extendedsufficiently for lid 504 to be opened without bumping into table 12. Inother words, arms 506 support the saw in a way to provide clearance forlid 504 to be opened.

Saw housing 22 includes two slots or channels 686, shown in FIG. 36, onetoward the front of the saw and the other toward the rear of the saw.Slots 686 are formed in a recess 688 which is part of housing 22. In thedepicted embodiment, recess 688 is formed when housing 22 is molded, andthe recess includes a bottom and sides. The top of the recess is coveredby table 12. Recess 688 shields drawer 500 from the internal mechanismof the saw, blocks a user from extending a hand into the saw through thearea where the drawer is located, prevents other items from droppinginto the saw through the area where the drawer is located, and tends toblock at least some sawdust from traveling from the interior of the sawinto the drawer.

Each of rear supports 682 fits into one of slots 686 and the bottom ofthe drawer rests on the bottom of recess 688. By fitting into slots 686,rear supports 682 guide the motion of drawer 500 as it is extended andretracted. Additionally, the length of slots 686 is sized to definestops for the drawer travel. A user can extend and retract drawer 500until rear supports 682 contact the ends of slots 686. Each of the rearsupports 682 includes a screw hole, and a screw with a washer extendsfrom below the bottom of recess 688 up into each screw hole in rearsupports 682. The washers are below the bottom of recess 688 and theyoverlap with the edges of slots 686 to hold the rear supports in theslots and to hold the drawer in the saw.

Recess 688 includes a notch 690 used to hold the drawer in its retractedposition. The notch interacts with a latch 640 on the bottom of thedrawer to hold the drawer in place. FIG. 37 shows table saw 10 withdrawer 500 retracted and latch 640 engaged in notch 690. Latch 640 isalso shown in FIG. 38 on the bottom of drawer 500, and latch 640 isshown isolated in FIG. 39.

Latch 640 attaches to the bottom of the drawer tray by an extension 642that comes down from the bottom of the drawer tray, as shown in FIGS. 29and 37. Extension 642 is shaped like a hollow rectangle with roundedends, and has two catches 644 that extend down along the side of theextension. Extension 642 fits through a corresponding slot 646 in thelatch, and catches 644 flex inward so that they fit through slot 646.Once the ends of catches 644 have passed through slot 646, the catchesflex outward again so that they overlap the latch from underneath tohold the latch between the underside of the tray 502 and the catches644. A cylindrical cavity 650 is located next to slot 646 and a coilspring 652 fits into the cavity between the latch 640 and the bottom ofthe drawer tray 502. A stub 654 extends down from the bottom of thedrawer to help keep the spring in position. The edge of latch 640closest to extension table 50 has a number of projections 656 andrecesses 658 that mesh with corresponding projections and recesses indrawer tray 502 to create somewhat of a hinge and to help hold the latchin position. The end of each projection is curved, as shown in FIG. 39,to overlap the edge of its corresponding recess when the latch isinstalled in the saw. At the other end of the latch there are a seriesof triangular extensions 664 that fit into slot 690 in recess 688 tokeep the drawer from sliding outward.

In the depicted embodiment latch 640 has a somewhat curved bottomsurface, shaped to fit a hand. The bottom surface may also includegrooves or texturing to provide a nice feel and contact surface.

To release the drawer so it can be extended out, a user pushes upagainst the bottom surface of latch 640 to compress spring 650 and torelease extensions 664 from notch 690. When the drawer is pushed backin, triangular extensions 664 contact the bottom of recess 688 andcompress spring 650 until the extensions fall into notch 690. Spring 650biases extensions 664 down and into notch 690 to keep the drawer inplace until released by a user.

As an alternative to latch 640 and notch 690, housing 22 can be formedwith a tab having a raised surface that engages a notch on the bottom ofthe drawer. The raised surface can be sloped or shaped so that a usercan pull the drawer out, without having to squeeze or depress a latch,and the action of pulling the drawer out causes the tab to flex and theraised surface to move out of the notch in the bottom of the drawer.When the drawer is retracted, the drawer deflects the tab until theraised surface is under the notch, at which point the tab flexes up andthe raised surface engages the notch to hold the drawer in place. Ofcourse, such a system could be designed so that the tab is on the drawerinstead of the housing, and the notch in the housing instead of thedrawer. A system such as this allows a user to extend and retract thedrawer simply by pulling and pushing the drawer; it does not require auser to manipulate a latch. However, the drawer is less secure than witha more positive latch such as latch 640.

Drawer 500 shown in FIGS. 20 through 31 is an example of a drawerdesigned to accommodate specific components and accessories. Otherdrawers could be designed to accommodate other components andaccessories.

Table saw 10 also includes on-board storage for fence 38, a pushstick39, and a power cord, as shown in FIGS. 40 and 41. A front bracket 802and a rear bracket 804 are mounted on the right side of the saw underextension table 50. The brackets are spaced apart with bracket 802toward the front of the saw and positioned about midway up the side ofthe housing and bracket 804 toward the rear and positioned a littlelower than the front bracket.

Front bracket 802 is shown isolated in FIGS. 42 and 43, and rear bracket804 is shown isolated in FIGS. 44 and 45. Front bracket 802 has a flange806 and rear bracket 804 has a flange 808 that are configured to fitinto channels 810 and 812, respectively, molded into the side of tablesaw housing 22. FIG. 46 shows table saw housing 22 with channels 810 and812. Brackets 802 and 804 are attached to the table saw by flanges 806and 808 sliding down to the bottom of channels 810 and 812,respectively. The bottom of each of flange 806 and 808 can include ascrew boss, such as screw bosses 814 shown in FIGS. 43 and 45, so thatthe brackets can be screwed in place.

Front bracket 802 is shaped to define a loop 816, and rear bracket 804includes a similar loop 818. The loops are configured so that the fencecan be inserted through them. More specifically, fence 38 is insertedthrough loop 816 in the front bracket and then through loop 818 in therear bracket to store the fence when not in use, as shown in FIGS. 40and 41. The rear bracket is positioned lower than the front bracket sothat the fence slopes downward and gravity helps keep the fence in thebrackets. Loops 816 and 818 are shaped like vertically orientedrectangles, except that the center portions of the bottom surfacesextend down to provide clearance for screws or other irregularities thatmight extend out from the bottom of the fence. The bottom surfacesdefine shelves 820 along the bottom corners to support the fence. Theinside perimeter of loops 816 and 818 can taper from front to back toprovide a larger opening at the front to receive the fence, and asmaller opening at the rear to hold the fence in place. Rear bracket 804can also include fingers 822 at the rear of the bracket to further gripthe sides of the fence. The fingers can be configured to flex outwardwhen the fence is inserted so that the fingers apply some spring forceagainst the side of the fence. The fingers can also be coated or coveredwith rubber or some other material to increase the friction between thefingers and the fence to help hold the fence in the bracket. Frontbracket 802 can also be configured with similar fingers to help hold thefence in place.

In the depicted embodiment, rear bracket 804 includes a catch or latch824 along the upper, rear edge of the bracket. The catch is hinged tothe top of the rear bracket, and a spring biases the catch down behindloop 818. When a user inserts a fence into the brackets, the end of thefence contacts and pivots catch 824 up as the end of the fence slidesby. A hook 826 is formed in the end of the catch, as shown in FIG. 47,and a socket is formed in the end of the fence. As a user slides thefence through rear bracket 804, hook 826 will catch the socket at theend of the fence to stop the motion of the fence through the bracket andto help hold the end of the fence in place. Additionally, catch 824 isshaped with a bend or hump 827 to provide some resiliency and cushionwhen a fence is inserted into the bracket with some force. The catchwill flex somewhat to absorb some of that force.

Front and rear brackets 802 and 804 also include a mounting system orstructure to hold a pushstick. Specifically, a socket 828 is configuredalong the top of front bracket 802. The socket has top and bottomflanges that can flex slightly, and the flanges include inwardlyextending lips at their ends. A user simply pushes the pushstick intothe socket to flex the flanges outward until the pushstick moves pastthe lips, at which time the flanges spring back to hold the pushstick inplace. A user simply pulls the pushstick to flex the flanges and removethe pushstick from the socket.

Rear bracket 804 includes a stop 830 and a tab or hook 832 to help holdthe pushstick in position. Stop 830 can be configured to limit both therearward and upward movement of the pushstick, and it can also beconfigured to bias the pushstick in one direction or another to furtherhold the pushstick and to keep the pushstick from rattling when stored.Hook 832 is configured to extend through a hole in the pushstick andoverlap a surface of the pushstick, thereby preventing the pushstickfrom moving up and/or holding the pushstick down.

Front and rear brackets 802 and 804 also include generally T-shapedextensions 834 and 836, respectively, around which a power cord can bewound. The extensions are on the side of brackets 802 and 804 oppositemounting flanges 806 and 808.

In the depicted embodiment, brackets 802 and 804 are molded plasticparts, and all of the loops, shelves, sockets, flanges and tabs thatprovide mounts for the fence, pushstick and power cord, except catch824, are molded as part of the brackets and are integral with thebrackets. Of course, brackets 802 and 804 can have variousconfigurations and alternatively can be made from other materials andfrom assemblies of separate parts.

Table saw 10 includes on-board storage for an extra blade 18 and bladewrenches 882 and 884, as shown in FIGS. 49 and 50. The back wall ofhousing 22 includes a slightly recessed area 850 shaped to receive acircular blade with a 10-inch diameter, and a bracket 852 is bolted orscrewed onto the housing roughly in the middle of recessed area 850.Bracket 852 is shown in FIGS. 51 and 52, and it includes both a rearprojection 854 that extends through a hole in housing 22, and acylindrical front projection 856 that extends out away from the saw. Thedistal end of front projection 856 includes a ridge 858.

A locking knob 860, shown isolated in FIGS. 53 and 54, is attached tothe distal end of front projection 856, over ridge 858, as shown inFIGS. 49 and 52. The surface of locking knob 860 which is against thedistal end of front projection 856 includes a channel or groove 862shaped to fit over ridge 858. An off-center hole 864 extends through thelength of locking knob 860, and a corresponding off-center hole 866extends through front projection 856 and rear projection 854 in bracket852. A bolt 868 extends through holes 864 and 866 and out the back ofbracket 852 to hold locking knob 860 to front projection 856. Bolt 868extends out the back of bracket 852 sufficiently far for a coil spring870 to fit over the bolt between washers 872, and a nut 874 threads ontothe bolt to hold the assembly together, as shown in FIG. 52. The lengthof bolt 868 allows locking knob 860 to be pulled out, away from bracket852, compressing spring 870, so that channel 862 in the locking knobclears ridge 858 on front projection 856 and the locking knob can beturned around an axis parallel to the length of bolt 868. When turned,the locking knob will remain stable and away from front projection 856because channel 862 will no longer align with ridge 858 and the bottomsurface of the locking knob will rest on ridge 858. Spring 870 biaseslocking knob 860 toward bracket 852 so that the locking knob is stablewhen it is turned, and also so that the spring will pull channel 862over ridge 858 when the locking knob is turned back.

Locking knob 860 and front projection 856 are sized so that when channel862 is over ridge 858, the locking knob and front projection align topresent a stub having a predetermined maximum diameter. The diameter isselected so that the stub will fit through the arbor hole of a 10″ sawblade, which is typically ⅝ths of an inch in diameter, so for thoseblades the diameter of the stub will be slightly less than that. Bladewrenches can also include a mounting hole of the same size as the arborhole. A user can then place the blade and blade wrenches over and pastthe locking knob and onto front projection 856. As stated, holes 864 and866 in the locking knob and front projection are off-center, so thelocking knob will extend beyond the perimeter of the front projectionwhen the locking knob is turned, as shown in FIG. 55, and overlap theblade and blade wrenches to hold them in place. The locking knob, ridge858, and channel 862 can all be positioned so that the locking knoboverlaps different portions of the blade and blade wrenches as needed.For example, centering the overlap on the blade wrenches over a lineextending along the length of the wrenches in the side-to-side center ofthe wrenches, as shown in FIG. 55, minimizes the chance of the bladewrenches twisting and slipping off front projection 856.

An arrangement as described provides an effective and easy-to-usemechanism to store an extra blade and blade wrenches on a saw. Asstated, a user places the blade and blade wrenches onto front projection856, and the user then turns locking knob 860 to provide a surface thatoverlaps the blade and blade wrenches so they cannot slide off of frontprojection 856. To remove the blade and blade wrenches, a user simplyrotates locking knob back so that channel 862 and ridge 858 align, whichcauses the locking knob to align with the front projection, and a userslides the blade and blade wrenches off.

A spring 876 having two elongate arms 878 and 880 is attached to theback side of bracket 852, as shown in FIG. 52. Rear projection 856 isconfigured to hold spring 876 in place. The distal ends of arms 878 and880 extend through slots in housing 22, as shown in FIG. 50. The armsfunction to bias the blade and blade wrenches out when stored on frontprojection 856 to maintain pressure against locking knob 860 and tominimize rattling of the blade and blade wrenches.

FIGS. 56 and 57 show two blade wrenches, 882 and 884, respectively.Wrench 882 includes an opening 886 configured to fit around an arborshaft, and a hole 888 sized to fit over locking knob 860 and frontprojection 856. Wrench 884 includes a socket 890 at one end configuredto fit around an arbor nut, and a hole 892 sized to fit over lockingknob 860 and front projection 856. Wrench 884 also includes a taperedend 894 which can be used to help remove brake cartridges used in tablesaws with active injury mitigation systems. Those brake cartridges stopthe blade in the case of an accident and they must be removed after use.Occasionally, the act of stopping the blade causes the brake cartridgeto press tightly against its mount, and in that situation, wrench 884can be used to lever or pry the brake cartridge off its mount.

Housing 22 of table saw 10 includes a socket 896 to hold the ends of theblade wrenches when they are stored on the saw, as shown in FIG. 49.

Table saws are typically started and stopped by a user flipping ortriggering some type of switch on the saw. Such switches should bedesigned and positioned so they are easy and intuitive to use, but alsoso they are protected and so they can be repaired or replaced easily, ifnecessary. A switchbox having these characteristics is shown at 1000 inFIG. 58. The switchbox is mounted to the front of saw 10, and theswitchbox includes switches used to turn the saw on and off and toperform other functions, as explained below. The switchbox is shownisolated in FIGS. 59 through 68, and FIG. 69 shows an exploded view ofthe switchbox.

Switchbox 1000 includes a paddle 1020 used to start and stop the motoron the saw by moving between an “on” or extended position and an “off”or retracted position. Paddle 1020, shown isolated in FIGS. 70 through76, is large enough to be easily accessed by a user. For example, it islarge enough for a user to turn the saw off by bumping the paddle withthe user's leg. The paddle is shaped generally like a rectangle with anopening 1040 in the middle, and with walls along the top and sides thatextend inward to the rear. The side walls, labeled 1140, tapper off nearthe bottom until they join the front surface at the very bottom of thepaddle. A horizontal flange 1160 extends across the back of the paddle,near the bottom, and projects out to the rear. The top and side walls,and horizontal flange 1160, block access to the back or inside of thepaddle and minimize possible pinch points between the paddle and therest of the switchbox.

Two extensions 1060 extend upward from the top of the paddle, one on theleft side and one on the right. Extensions 1060 are open in the middleand have cylindrical pins near the top that are of two sections, alarger diameter section 1080 near the outside followed by a smallerdiameter section 1100 moving inward. The paddle pivots forward andbackward about the cylindrical pins as the user pulls and pushes thebottom of the paddle in and out to start and stop the motor.

Paddle 1020 is mounted to a front cover 2000. The front cover is shownisolated in FIGS. 77 through 81, and is roughly shaped like arectangular box with an outline slightly larger than the paddle. Thesmaller diameter sections 1100 of the cylindrical pins on paddle 1020fit against curved surfaces 2240 at the back of front cover 2000, andthe larger diameter sections 1080 of each cylindrical pin fits adjacenta wall 2260 on the back of the front cover to position the paddleside-to-side relative to the front cover. Curved surfaces 2240 are alongthe top of the back of the front cover and are labeled in FIG. 80. Inorder for the cylindrical pins to be positioned against curved surfaces2240, extensions 1060 on the paddle must be inserted up and throughopenings 2220 in the front cover. By so doing, the body of the paddleremains accessible in front of the front cover, while extensions 1060and the pivot axis are behind the front cover.

A retaining structure 2280, shown isolated in FIGS. 82 through 84, holdseach of the cylindrical pins against curved surfaces 2240. One retainingstructure holds one of the cylindrical pins against its correspondingcurved surface, and another, separate retaining structure holds theother cylindrical pin against its corresponding curved surface. Theretaining structure is designed with what may be thought of as“mirrored” sides so that it can be turned to hold the cylindrical pinsagainst the curved surface on the right or left. Retaining structure2280 has an end portion 2300 that presses against the cylindrical pinsto hold them in place. A hole 2360 passes through each retainingstructure and screws 2380 hold the retaining structures to the back ofthe front cover by screwing into holes 2400 in the front cover. In thismanner, paddle 1020 is pivotally mounted to front cover 2000.

The bottom of front cover 2000 is open, as shown at 2120 in FIG. 77, toallow horizontal flange 1160 on the paddle to overlap a bottom wall 2140of the front cover. This configuration blocks ingress to the back orinside of the paddle when the paddle is mounted to the switchbox, andminimizes possible pinch points, while allowing paddle 1020 to overhangthe bottom of front cover 2000 so a user can grip the bottom of thepaddle and pull it out.

Near the bottom of the paddle, above flange 1160, are three bosses 1180extending out from the back surface of the paddle to receive thethreaded ends of screws 1200, shown in FIG. 69. The screws are used toattach a paddle activation link 1220 to the bottom of the back side ofthe paddle. Paddle activation link 1220 is shown isolated in FIGS. 85through 91, and it has a vertical wall 1240 with U-shaped cutouts 1260configured to fit around screws 1200. A ridge 1280 extends horizontallyacross and out from the paddle activation link between the top andbottom U-shaped cutouts 1260. Ridge 1280 fits between two similarhorizontal ridges 1300 that extend out from the back surface of thepaddle to help secure the paddle activation link in position. The paddleactivation link extends out roughly perpendicular to the back of thepaddle.

Front cover 2000 includes a lower aperture or opening 2160, and thepaddle activation link extends through that opening when the switchboxis assembled. The paddle activation link includes two spring arms 1320that contact the upper edge 2162 of aperture 2160 and cause the paddleto snap open and closed. As seen in FIGS. 87 and 89, spring arms 1320are shaped somewhat like hooks with a ridge or hump 1380 extendingacross the upper surface of each spring arm, and a portion 1360extending somewhat downwardly. The paddle activation link is positioned,and spring arms 1320 are sized, so that hump 1380 is slightly higherthan the upper edge 2162 of aperture 2160. When paddle 1020 is pushedin, upper edge 2162 is in front of humps 1380 and contacts portion 1360on the spring arms. When in that position, the spring arms may beslightly compressed so that the resiliency or spring force of the springarms keeps the paddle in position. When paddle 1020 is pulled out, humps1380 contact upper edge 2160, compressing the spring arms as the humpmoves past upper edge 2162. When humps 1380 have moved in front of upperedge 2162, the spring arms expand, although still slightly compressed,and the humps move in front of and higher than upper edge 2162 so thatthe spring arms act as something like an “over-center” to maintain thepaddle in its extended position. A user can pivot paddle 1020 out untila wall 1620 on the paddle activation link contacts stops 2700 on thelower back wall of the front cover. A tab 1680 on wall 1620 meshes witha socket 2720 on the back wall of the front cover to help keep thepaddle in position when pulled out. When the paddle is pushed back in,stops 1382 on the inside of wall 1240 on the paddle activation linkcontact the front cover 2000.

With this configuration, spring arms 1320 and humps 1380 provide a biasagainst moving the paddle in or out, so the spring arms tend to keep thepaddle stable in either its extended or retracted position.Additionally, when the paddle is moved from its extended or “on”position to its retracted or “off” position, downwardly extendingportions 1360 on the spring arms tend to push the paddle to theretracted position as soon as humps 1380 move behind upper edge 2162until stops 1382 on the inside of wall 1240 on the paddle activationlink contact the front cover 2000. Because spring arms 1320 bias thepaddle to either the extended or retracted position, the paddle feelslike it snaps open and closed, and the contact between stops 1382 andthe front cover, as well as the contact between wall 1620 and stops2700, makes a “snap” sound. Additionally, the compression of spring arms1320 provides a firm and solid feel to the movement of the paddle.

The paddle activation link is attached to paddle 1020 after paddleextensions 1060 are inserted up and through openings 2220 in the frontcover because of what would otherwise be interference between the bottomof the front cover and the paddle activation link. Accordingly, frontcover 2000 includes holes 2440 to provide access to screws that hold thepaddle activation link to the paddle.

Paddle activation link 1220 includes a link arm 1400 extending betweenand beyond spring arms 1320. The link arm connects to a wire form usedto toggle switches on a circuit board, as will be explained. Link arm1400 includes a left branch 1580 and a right branch 1600 joined by asupport section 1500 so that the right and left branches can flex towardeach other but are held and/or biased apart by support section 1500. Theends of left branch 1580 and right branch 1600 include sockets 1540 toreceive the wire form used to toggle the switches, as will be explained.

Paddle activation link 1220 may be molded and made of plastic. It mayinclude ribs, such as ribs 1440 and 1460, to add strength and rigidity.

Front cover 2000 is connected to a case 2010, as shown in FIG. 59. Case2010 houses a circuit board 2540, as shown in FIG. 69, and is made froma front shell 2020 and a rear shell 2040. Front shell 2020 is shownisolated in FIGS. 92 through 95, and rear shell 2040 is shown in FIGS.96 through 99. The front and rear shells enclose and sandwich circuitboard 2540, as shown in FIG. 69. Screws 2042 hold case 2010 together,and they hold circuit board 2540 in place in the case. Screws 2042 screwinto bosses 2044 on the back of front cover 2000 to hold the front coverand paddle to case 2010. Additional screws 2046 can be used to furtherhold front shell 2020, rear shell 2040, and circuit board 2540 together.

As stated previously, paddle activation link 1220 includes a link arm1400 that connects to a wire form used to toggle switches on circuitboard 2540. The wire form is shown isolated in FIG. 100 and identifiedby the number 2600. Wire form 2600 is shaped somewhat like a “W”, withstraight center segments 2620 that clip into sockets 1540 on link arm1400. Link arm 1400 includes left and right branches which can flextogether so that the link arm can be inserted between the centersegments of wire form 2600, and the tips of the branches can be pointedand angled together to facilitate insertion of the link arm between thecenter segments during assembly. The top of segments 2620 clip intosockets 1540 in the link arm, as seen in FIG. 101. (FIG. 101 showsswitchbox 1000 with rear shell 2040 removed and wire form 1400 visible.)In this manner, the top of wire form 2600 is held by link arm 1400 onpaddle activation link 1220.

Wire form 2600 also includes two arms 2640, and two bottom segments 2642that extend between and connect the arms and center segments 2620, asshown in FIG. 100. Bottom segments 2642 are held in grooves 2644 alongthe bottom of front shell 2020, and are held in the grooves by surfaces2646 at the bottom of rear shell 2040 when case 2010 is assembled. Withthis configuration, wire form 2600 can pivot around an axis extendingalong the length of grooves 2644.

When a user pulls paddle 1020 out, paddle activation link 1220 pulls thetop of wire form 2600, which causes the wire form to pivot in grooves2644 and move arms 2640 forward. Arms 2640 are positioned so that theyextend over tactile switches 2680 on circuit board 2540, as shown inFIG. 101. When arms 2640 pivot forward, they depress the tactileswitches to start the saw. The depicted embodiment includes two tactileswitches that must both be depressed to start the saw. Requiring bothtactile switches to be depressed prevents the saw from starting if oneswitch is somehow depressed unintentionally or if a tactile switchmalfunctions. When a user pushes paddle 1020 in, paddle activation link1220 pivots wire form 2600 toward the rear, and arms 2640 move away fromor out of engagement with tactile switches 2680 to turn the saw off.

The center segments of the wire form are sized to provide the desiredmoment arm to pivot arms 2640 forward when the paddle is pulled out. Thewire is sufficiently stiff and rigid so that when arms 2640 moveforward, they depress tactile switches 2680 to signal the saw to start.Arms 2640 are sized to depress the tactile switches with a desiredforce, and they are sized so that the paddle can move out a sufficientdistance to provide an ergonomic feel and a clear indication that thepaddle is turning the saw on. When pulled against the tactile switches,the arms also provide some spring force biasing the paddle toward itsretracted position.

Front shell 2020 and rear shell 2040 are shaped to define an emptyregion 2460 in which wire form 2600 is free to move and into which linkarm 1400 of paddle activation link 1220 extends. A stop 2462 ispositioned adjacent the top of region 2460 to limit the rearward motionof wire form 2600 when link arm 1400 is inserted between center segments2620 during assembly. The face of front shell 2020 is also shaped toinclude recesses 2464 to provide clearance for spring arms 1320 and linkarm 1400 on paddle activation link 1220 when the switchbox is assembled.

Switchbox 1000 mounts to table saw 10 by extending through an opening inthe front wall of housing 22 (such as opening 1222 in FIG. 129), andsandwiching the edge of the opening between front cover 2000 and case2010. In this manner, front cover 2000 and paddle 1020 are on theoutside of the table saw so that the paddle is accessible to a user,while case 2010 is inside the table saw. Front cover 2000 includes clips4650 that extend from the back of the front cover. The clips aredesigned to snap over and behind an edge of the opening to help hold thefront cover in position. The face of front shell 2020 includes recesses4660 to provide clearance for clips 4650.

Front shell 2020 of case 2010 includes a pedestal section 4300 and arectangular section 4320, both extending out from the front of the frontshell. Rectangular section 4320 supports a main power switch andindicator lights, as described below, and therefore, needs to beaccessible to a user at the front of the saw. Accordingly, front cover2010 includes an opening 2100, and paddle 1020 includes opening 1040,through which rectangular section 4320 extends. Pedestal section 4300extends out to abut a corresponding rib 2102 on the back of front cover2000. Pedestal section 4300 and rectangular section 4320 are moldedintegrally with front shell 2020 to help prevent dust and moisture fromentering case 2010.

As shown in FIG. 59, switchbox 1000 includes a rocker-type power switch4360. The switch is mounted to circuit board 2540 and extends throughopening 4340 in the front shell of case 2010 and through thecorresponding openings in front cover 2000 and paddle 1020 so that it isaccessible to a user at the front of the saw. Switch 4360 is mounted tocircuit board 2540 and supported by rectangular section 4320 of frontshell 2020. FIG. 59 shows switch 4360 in its “off” position. The switchis toggled up to turn the saw on. The switch may include a removablelock-out key to prevent the power switch from functioning when the keyis not in place.

Switchbox 1000 also includes status lights 4520 to indicate the statusof the saw. A green light may indicate that the saw is functioningnormally, for example, and a red light may indicate a problem or thatthe saw is not yet ready to cut. One or more LEDs are mounted on circuitboard 2540 to operate as status lights. Light tunnels may be used withthe LEDs. Openings 4342 in the front shell of case 2010 providevisibility to the status lights.

Switchbox 1000 also includes a bypass switch 2800. Some table sawsinclude active injury mitigation technology to detect when a personaccidentally contacts the spinning blade and to mitigate injury. Bypassswitch 2800 is used to bypass such technology when cutting conductivematerial that the active injury mitigation technology would detect as aperson. To be sure the bypass switch is not triggered unintentionally,the bypass switch is configured to be pushed in, as shown in FIG. 60,and then held in as power switch 4360 is flipped up.

Bypass switch 2800 includes a removable key 3460 to prevent the bypassswitch from operating when the key is removed. In the depictedembodiment, key 3460 is removed by pulling bypass switch 2800 out, asshown in FIG. 61. Pulling bypass switch 2800 out ejects key 3460sufficiently for a user to grasp the key and remove it from the saw.

Bypass switch 2800 includes an actuator 2802, shown isolated in FIGS.102 through 106. Actuator 2802 extends through an opening 2780 in frontcover 2000 so it can be accessed by a user of the saw. The actuatorincludes cylindrical pins 2804 that define an axis around which theactuator can pivot. The pins are positioned in grooves 2806 on the backof front cover 2000, and retaining structure 2280 holds the pins in thegrooves. (Retaining structures 2280 also hold paddle 1020 in place, asexplained previously.) As shown in FIGS. 82 through 84, retainingstructure 2280 includes an arm 2810 that terminates with curved surfacesdesigned to hold cylindrical pins 2804 in grooves 2806. Retainingstructure 2280, discussed above, is used to hold the actuator in grooves2806—one retaining structure on each side of actuator 2802 to hold thatside's pin in place. The retaining structure includes two curvedsurfaces 2812, one on each side of arm 2810, so that the same retainingstructure can be used to hold the pin on either side of actuator 2802.Additionally, projections 2811 extend out from the face of front shell2020 to prevent arms 2810 on retaining structures 2280 from flexing out.

Actuator 2802 includes a tab 2814 that a user can pull or push to causethe actuator to pivot around pins 2804. A top flange 2816 and a bottomflange 2818 extend out from the back of the actuator, and each is shapedto block access to the interior when the actuator pivots in or out.

Actuator 2802 also includes an opening 3200 to receive key 3460. Opening3200 is configured with a unique shape, and key 3460 is configured tomatch the shape of the opening so that it can be inserted into theopening but other items cannot. In the depicted embodiment, opening 3200is shaped somewhat like the letter “H”. Bypass switch 2800 cannot beoperated when key 3460 is removed, and customizing the shape of theopening and key prevents someone from sticking a pencil, screwdriver orother object into the opening to operate the bypass switch when the keyhas been removed.

Key 3460 is shown isolated in FIGS. 107 through 109. It includes a headportion 3480 and an elongate portion 3500 that fits into opening 3200.The bottom of the elongate portion includes a first notch 3502, andactuator 2802 includes a tab 3504 positioned to extend along the bottomof the key when the key is seated in opening 3200. Tab 3504 includes aridge that fits into notch 3502 to help hold the key in the opening.Actuator 2802 also includes a tab 3506 positioned above key 3460 toprevent the key from tilting up.

The elongate portion of key 3460 terminates in a distal end with asloping or curved surface 3520. When key 3460 is installed in the bypassswitch, curved surface 3520 is adjacent the face of front shell 2020 ofcase 2010. Front shell 2020 includes projections 3522 with curvedsurfaces 3524 that are positioned adjacent the distal end of key 3460when the key is fully seated in opening 3200. Accordingly, when a userpivots actuator 2802 out, the distal end of the key pivots up andcontacts curved surfaces 3524 on projections 3522. Those surfaces thenpush the key out of opening 3200 sufficiently far a user to grasp thehead of the key and remove the key from the bypass switch. In thedepicted embodiment, the surfaces push the key out until the ridge ontab 3504 fits into a second notch 3528 on the bottom of the key, whichholds the key until a user pulls it the rest of the way out. The edge ofsecond notch 3528 nearest the distal end of the key is sloped lesssteeply than the edges of the first notch so a user can pull the key outeasily after it has been ejected to the second notch, but still slopedenough so that the key stays in place until pulled out by the user.Additionally, a projection 3526 extends out from the face of front shell2020 adjacent key 3460 to prevent the key from shifting to the side andto help ensure the key is ejected when a user pivots actuator 2802 out.

Key 3460 works with a wire form 3920 to prevent the bypass switch fromfunctioning when the key is removed. Wire form 3920 is shown isolated inFIG. 110, and shown installed in the switchbox in FIG. 101. Wire form3920 is bent to form an extension 4022, an arm 4024, and segments 4020that define a pivot axis. Front shell 2020 of case 2010 includes anopening 4026, and wire form 3920 is positioned in the case so thatextension 4022 extends through opening 4026. Walls extend out from theback of front shell 2020 to define opening 4026, such as wall 4028 shownin FIG. 94, and segments 4020 in the wire form rest in grooves 4030 inthose walls, with extension 4022 extending through the opening definedby the walls. A projection 4032 extends out from rear shell 2040 to holdsegments 4020 in grooves 4030 when the case is assembled. With thisarrangement, the wire form is held in place so that it can pivot aroundan axis defined by segments 4020.

Extension 4022 is positioned and sized so that it is immediately underthe elongate portion of key 3460 when the bypass switch is assembled.Accordingly, when a user pivots actuator 2802 inwardly, key 3460 pivotsdown and contacts extension 4022 of wire form 3920, causing theextension to pivot down. Arm 4024 of the wire form extends over atactile switch 4080, as shown in FIG. 101, so that when extension 4022pivots down, arm 4024 depresses the tactile switch to trigger bypass ofan active injury mitigation system.

When key 3460 is removed, however, there is nothing to contact extension4022 when actuator 2802 pivots inwardly, so nothing depresses tactileswitch 4080. Similarly, the bottom of the tip of key 3460 is cut away sothat the key clears extension 4022 when the key has been ejected farenough for tab 3504 to fit into second notch 3528 on the bottom of thekey. Thus, key 3460 is configured to pivot wire form 3920 only when thekey is fully seated.

Bypass switch 2800 also includes a spring 3800, shown isolated in FIG.111, which biases actuator 2802 to a neutral position where the actuatoris neither in nor out. Spring 3800 also returns the actuator to theneutral position after a user pulls the actuator out to eject key 3460,and after a user pushes the actuator in. Spring 3800 includes a coilthat fits over and around one of pins 2804 on actuator 2802. The springincludes an upper arm 3820 and a lower arm 3822 that rest againstnotches 3880 and 3900, respectively, on the back surface of front cover2000, as shown in FIG. 112. Spring 3800 is positioned so that lower arm3822 is above the bottom flange 2818 of actuator 2802 and upper arm 3820is below top flange 2816. With this configuration, bottom flange 2818moves lower arm 3822 toward upper arm 3820 when a user pivots actuator2802 out, compressing the spring, and similarly, top flange 2816 movesupper arm 3820 toward lower arm 3822 when a user pivots actuator 2802in, also compressing the spring. The spring then pushes the actuatorback to a neutral position when a user releases actuator 2802.

Case 2010 includes an opening 4669 for power cable 4670 to enter theswitchbox and connect to circuit board 2540. The power cable may enterhousing 22 through an aperture in the housing, such as aperture 4671shown in FIGS. 21 and 50. Case 2010 also includes an opening 4672 for amotor cable 4673 to extend from the circuit board to a motor. Case 2010also includes an opening 4674 through which a plug or connector, such asserial plug 4675 shown in FIG. 64, may extend to connect circuit board2540 to components of an active injury mitigation system such as acontact detection system.

Rear shell 2040 of case 2010 includes an overhang surface or flange 4676positioned just above opening 4674. Flange 4676 protects the plug orconnector in opening 4674 from water by directing any water running downthe back of the housing away from the opening.

Many of the components of a switchbox as described above, including thepaddle, paddle activation link, front cover, case, bypass switchactuator, and bypass key may be made from plastic and may be injectionmolded.

A switchbox as described above is modular in that the circuitry ishoused in a case separate from the front cover, paddle switch and bypassswitch. The case enclosing the circuitry interfaces with and operativelyattaches to those switches, yet can be easily removed and replaced ifthe circuitry fails. This design allows a user to replace the circuitrywithout having to replace the paddle switch and bypass switch.

A switchbox as described also protects circuitry from impacts, bumps,weather, spills, etc., by positioning the circuitry in a modular caseinside the housing of the saw, while still positioning the on/off switchand bypass switch outside the saw housing for easy access by a user.Additionally, a switchbox as described provides a housing for circuitrythat is substantially closed to weather, dust and spills.

Switchbox 1000 switches power to a motor 4676 shown in FIG. 113. (FIG.113 shows a left-side view of the internal mechanism of saw 10.) In thedepicted embodiment, motor 4676 is a universal motor. A gear box 4677 isattached to the motor and the gear box bolts to elevation carriage 30.Elevation carriage 30 is an aluminum die cast part, shown isolated inFIGS. 114 and 115. Gear box 4678 bolts to elevation carriage by boltsthreading into sockets 4678 shown in FIG. 115. The elevation carriage,in turn, is supported by trunnion 32 in such a way that the elevationplate can rise and lower relative to the trunnion, and trunnion 32 issupported by table 12 in such a manner that the trunnion can tiltrelative to the table. In the depicted embodiment the trunnion tilts tothe left when facing the front of the saw, but could be designed to tiltto the right. Trunnion 32 is an aluminum die cast part, and is shownisolated in FIGS. 116 and 117.

Elevation carriage 30 supports an arbor block 4680, shown isolated inFIGS. 118 and 119. The arbor block, in turn, supports an arbor 4681 onwhich the blade is placed. The arbor is supported in bearings so it canturn to spin the blade, and the bearings are seated in bearing seats4682 in arbor block 4680. In the depicted embodiment, arbor block 4680is die cast from aluminum.

An arbor pulley 4683 is mounted on the arbor, and a drive pulley isattached to an output shaft of gear box 4677. A belt 4684 extends aroundthe drive pulley and arbor pulley 4683 so that the arbor pulley andarbor spin when the drive pulley spins.

Arbor block 4680 is mounted to elevation plate 30 on shaft 4685 so thatthe arbor block can pivot on the shaft. Shaft 4685 is labeled in FIG. 2and it extends from one side of the elevation carriage to the otherthrough a hole 4685 a in the elevation carriage. The end of arbor block4680 away from arbor 4681 includes holes 4686, and shaft 4685 extendsthrough those holes to mount that end of the arbor block to theelevation plate so that the arbor block can pivot around shaft 4685.

The arbor block is designed to pivot down to retract the blade andthereby help mitigate injury in the event a user accidentally contactsthe spinning blade. More specifically, table saw 10 includes an activeinjury mitigation system designed to stop and retract the blade in theevent of an accident where a person contacts the spinning blade. Thesystem includes a brake cartridge 4687 positioned adjacent the blade, asshown in FIG. 2. Upon detection of contact, brake cartridge 4687 willengage and stop the blade to minimize any injury, and in doing so, theblade drops or retracts until it contacts a rubber bumper or stop 4679mounted on the trunnion.

In the depicted embodiment, the output shaft of gear box 4677 ispositioned so that it is generally coaxial with shaft 4685. Thatpositioning maintains tension on belt 4684 when arbor block 4680retracts. Alternatively, the output shaft of gear box 4677 could bepositioned such that the tension on belt 4684 is lessened when arborblock 4680 retracts.

In normal use arbor block 4680 is prevented from pivoting by aretraction plate 4688 bolted to elevation carriage 30 and extendingalong the side of the arbor block, as shown in FIG. 113. The retractionplate is bolted to holes 4688 a shown in FIG. 115. A pin 4689 is fittedinto a notch 4690 on the arbor block adjacent plate 4688, and a slot4691 is cut in plate 4688 to fit around the pin. Plate 4688 is a steelplate, approximately 2 to 3 mm thick, and therefore is relatively rigid.It is also positioned against the side of the arbor block so that pin4689 is held in slot 4691. In normal use plate 4688 and pin 4689 holdthe arbor block in position, and therefore, hold the blade in position.However, when brake cartridge 4687 engages and stops the blade, theangular momentum of the blade creates a downward force which typicallyis sufficient to push pin 4689 out of slot 4691 and flex plate 4688. Thearbor block then pivots down around an axis defined by shaft 4685 toretract the blade. In this system, plate 4688 acts somewhat like aspring, and flexes away from the arbor block when pin 4689 is forced outof slot 4691. The plate also presses against pin 4689 as the pin andarbor block pivot down, thereby absorbing some of the energy of thesystem.

Plate 4688 can be adjusted to vary the amount of force required to pushpin 4689 out of slot 4691, and to vary the amount of pressure the plateapplies against pin 4689 as the pin and arbor block pivot down. A bolt4692 is threaded into a socket 4693 on the arbor block, through a slot4694 in plate 4688, and a spring 4695 is interposed between the head ofbolt 4692 and plate 4688. Spring 4695 can be selected to providewhatever force is desired, and tightening or loosening the bolt adjuststhe amount of force the spring applies. Accordingly, the force plate4688 applies against pin 4689 can be adjusted by tightening or looseningbolt 4692. In the depicted embodiment, spring 4695 has a spring force ofroughly 70 pounds, although other springs could be used.

After retracting, arbor block 4680 can be reset to its normal,operational position by simply moving the arbor block up, either by handor by the elevation control on the saw, until pin 4689 snaps back inslot 4691.

In the depicted embodiment, the end of arbor block 4680 adjacent arbor4681 is supported by a V-bracket 4696, which is shown isolated in FIGS.120 and 121. A threaded hole 4697 passes through the base of theV-bracket and is used to attach the V-bracket to arbor block 4680. Theend of arbor block 4680 adjacent arbor 4681 includes two mounting arms4698, each with a non-threaded through hole, and the base of theV-bracket fits between those arms so that the holes in the arms alignwith the hole in the base of the V-bracket. A bolt 4699 passes throughthe hole in one of the two arms, as shown in FIG. 119, and aself-locking nut 4700, such as a nylon insert lock nut, is then threadedonto the bolt to hold the bolt in the arm. The bolt then threads throughhole 4697 in the V-bracket and extends into the hole in the other arm onthe arbor block. With this configuration, turning bolt 4699 causesV-bracket 4696 to move along the bolt, and thereby adjust the lateralposition of the arbor block and blade relative to the V-bracket.

V-bracket 4696 includes a generally v-shaped notch 4701 configured tofit over an edge 4702 on trunnion 32. Edge 4702 can have angled sides sothat it meshes with the shape of notch 4701. Two projections 4703 and4704 form notch 4701, and those projections extend over edge 4702 andover the sides of trunnion 32 to prevent the V-bracket from movinglaterally with respect to the trunnion, and to guide the V-bracket as itmoves up and down along edge 4702. The V-bracket moves up and down alongedge 4702 when elevation carriage 30 moves up and down, and when thearbor block retracts.

Notch 4701 includes surfaces 4705 and 4706 that are angled with respectto a line or plane passing through the center of the notch andsubstantially parallel to projections 4703 and 4704. The angle is chosento provide enough slope so that the V-bracket seats against edge 4702 tohold the arbor block against lateral movement, but not so much slopethat the V-bracket locks against edge 4702 and prevents the arbor blockand elevation carriage from moving up and down. In the depictedembodiment, surfaces 4705 and 4706 are angled 25 degrees from the centerline. Surfaces 4705 and 4706 are part of projections 4703 and 4704 whichdefine the notch. The projections also include surfaces 4707 and 4708which are generally parallel to the center line, except for a smalldraft angle that facilitates molding of the V-bracket. Surfaces 4707 and4708 help keep the V-bracket in position. Notches of other shapes, suchas square and rectangular notches, would have to have sufficienttolerance so the bracket could slide up and down along edge 4702, butthat tolerance would also allow the bracket and arbor block to movelaterally. Sizing such a notch to fit close enough against edge 4702 tominimize lateral movement increases the likelihood of the notch bindingon the edge.

In the depicted embodiment, arbor block 4680 retracts in an arc, andtherefore, will move toward and away from edge 4702 when it retracts andwhen it is reset. Accordingly, V-bracket 4696 is designed to becompliant and to move in and out as the arbor block moves. Specifically,V-bracket 4696 can pivot forward or backward around bolt 4699. A spring4709 is also mounted on bolt 4699, and the spring biases the V-brackettoward edge 4702. The spring includes one arm that pushes against a tabon the V-bracket, a coil through which bolt 4699 passes, and a secondarm that presses against the arbor block. As the arbor block retracts,edge 4702 will push the V-bracket back and compress spring 4709, and thespring will keep the V-bracket engaged with the edge. When the arborblock is reset, spring 4709 will push the V-bracket forward and keep theV-bracket engaged with edge 4702. In the depicted embodiment, spring4709 has a spring force of approximately 4.5 to 6 pounds.

The V-bracket is also compliant to accommodate tolerances in themachining of edge 4702 and in the manufacturing of the arbor block,V-bracket, and trunnion. Thus, spring 4709 functions to accommodate anytolerances or slop in these parts.

Retraction of the arbor block can also involve significant forces.V-bracket 4696 is made from 30 percent glass filled nylon to be strongenough to accommodate the retraction.

In the depicted embodiment, switchbox 1000 connects to brake cartridge4687, which is part of an active injury mitigation system, as stated.Shaft 4685 and a pin 4710 extend out from elevation carriage 32, and thebrake cartridge mounts on those two pins. A mounting plate 4711 is alsoattached to arbor block 4680 by bolting into holes 4711 a on the arborblock, and the mounting plate supports a plug or socket that connects tothe switchbox. The mounting plate and plug are positioned so that brakecartridge 4687 automatically engages the plug when the brake cartridgeis seated on shaft 4685 and pin 4710.

In the depicted embodiment, shaft 4685, pin 4710, and mounting plate4711, provide a single, fixed position for brake cartridge 4687. In sometable saws, the system to mount a brake cartridge in the saw allows forthe position of the brake to be adjusted so that the brake can be movedcloser to or further from the edge of the blade. The depictedembodiment, in contrast, provides a stationary or fixed mount and theposition of the brake cannot be adjusted. This simplifies the design ofthe saw and reduces the manufacturing cost of the saw. This alsosimplifies the operation of the saw because a user no longer needs toadjust the position of the brake cartridge relative to the blade. Thisalso prevents a user from positioning the brake further from the bladethan it should be, which might happen by mistake or inadvertence in asystem where the position of the brake cartridge is adjustable.

Table saw 10 also includes a dust shroud 4712 to catch saw dust anddirect it through a chute out the rear of the saw. Dust shroud 4712 isshown in FIG. 123 mounted in table saw 10, and a top view of the dustshroud is shown isolated in FIG. 124. The shroud is mounted to trunnion32 and with the blade raised, generally covers the lower front quadrantof the blade beneath the table, as shown. Of course, more of the frontof the blade would be covered as the blade is lowered. The shroudextends up as far as possible in front of the blade to catch as muchdust as possible.

The shroud includes a left side 4714 and a right side 4716, shown inFIGS. 125 and 126, respectively. A fin 4718 extends generallyperpendicularly out from the left side of the shroud to a positionwithin a few millimeters of the blade. Fin 4718 extends substantiallyvertically until it reaches roughly the bottom of the blade, with theblade fully lowered, where it then curves toward the rear of the saw, asshown in FIG. 125. Another fin 4720 extends generally perpendicularlyout from the right side of the shroud to a position as close as possibleto the blade while still allowing clearance for a dado stack to be usedin the saw. Fin 4720 also extends substantially vertically until itreaches roughly the bottom of the blade with the blade fully lowered,where it then curves toward the rear of the saw, as shown in FIG. 126.The right side of the shroud includes another fin 4722 which alsoprojects out generally perpendicularly from the side. Fin 4722 ispositioned rearward of fin 4720 and it extends generally vertically fromnear the top of the shroud down toward the bottom of the shroud, butdoes not curve rearward. Fin 4720 is positioned generally in thefront-to-back middle of the blade adjacent the saw's arbor, and the finextends as close as possible to the blade while still providingclearance for the saw's arbor. Fins 4718, 4720 and 4722 all help peeland direct dust away from blade 18.

The right side of the shroud is positioned as near to the blade aspossible so the shroud can extend as high as possible when the bladetilts, while still providing clearance for the saw's arbor. However,space is required to change the blade and to change the brake cartridgein saws equipped with active injury mitigation systems that use brakecartridges. Accordingly, the right side of shroud 4712 is configuredwith a door 4724 that can pivot away from the blade. The door is hingedto the front of the shroud and a spring 4726 biases the door closed.Magnets or some other type of latch can hold the door closed. Shroud4712 can also include a stop to limit how far the door can open, such asstop 4728. With this arrangement, a user can reach through opening 14 intable 12 and pivot door 4724 to the right to change the blade or toperform other service on the saw.

In saws that include an active injury mitigation system with a bladethat retracts, such as the depicted embodiment, dust shroud 4712 ispositioned sufficiently below the blade to allow the blade to retract.

Shroud 4712 also includes a chute 4730 through which the shroud directssawdust toward the rear of the saw. Chute 4730 has a mouth 4732positioned roughly below or slightly behind the center of the blade, anexit 4734, and an enclosed channel 4736 extending between the mouth andthe exit. The bottom end of fin 4718 extends into mouth 4732, and theninto channel 4736 approximately 90 mm beyond mouth 4732, although itcould extend roughly 50 to 100 mm or more into channel 4736. The bottomend of fin 4718 is mounted on the left side of channel 4736 and roughlyin the middle of the top-to-bottom dimension of the channel. The finextends generally perpendicularly out from the left side of chute 4730to approximately the middle of the side-to-side dimension of the chute.In some embodiments, the fin can slope downward slightly from the mouthtoward the bottom of the chute. The bottom end of fin 4718 in channel4736 functions to prevent air and dust from recirculating back towardblade 18. Experiments have shown that some dust moving along the bottomof dust shroud 4712 into chute 4730 can be deflected or can recirculateup and back toward the blade. The bottom end of fin 4718 substantiallyprevents that recirculation while still allowing dust and air to enterchute 4730 above the fin. The bottom end of fin 4718 is also shown inFIGS. 127 and 128, which show additional views of the rear of the dustshroud.

Chute 4730 extends through an opening 4738 (identified in FIG. 49) inthe back wall of housing 22 far enough for a vacuum or other dustcollection system to be attached to exit 4734. Exit 4734 can be shapedand sized to mate with standard vacuum systems and couplers. In thedepicted embodiment, exit 4734 is circular with an approximately 65 mmoutside diameter and an approximately 60 mm inside diameter.

Chute 4730 is mounted to trunnion 32, and therefore, moves with thetrunnion when a user changes the angle of the blade relative to thetable. That movement is arcuate and substantial, and therefore, opening4738 has a large, arcuate shape. Making an opening big enough for thechute to move as the blade tilts, however, means the opening is bigenough for a person to reach through and potentially contact thespinning blade. Accordingly, table saw 10 includes a door or shield 4740positioned to block access to the rear portion of blade 18, as shown inFIG. 123. Shield 4740 is mounted to trunnion 32 above chute 4730. Theshield is positioned near the blade so it can extend as high as possiblewhile still allowing the blade to tilt to 45 degrees. However, as statedpreviously, space is required to change the blade and to change thebrake cartridge in saws equipped with active injury mitigation systemsthat use brake cartridges. Accordingly, shield 4740 is configured topivot out of the way when a user needs access to the blade or access toother components adjacent the blade. Shield 4740 includes a mountingedge 4742, and the shield is mounted to trunnion 32 along mounting edge4742 by screws or bolts. A door section 4744 extends out from themounting edge and is connected to the mounting edge by what is sometimescalled a live or living hinge (i.e., a span of plastic connecting thedoor section and the mounting edge, and configured to flex when the doorsection pivots relative to the mounting edge). The live hinge is betweenthe door section and the mounting edge so that the door section canpivot relative to the mounting edge. With this arrangement, a user canreach through opening 14 in table 12 and pivot door section 4744 out ofthe way to the right. The door section can be biased closed, eitherthrough the live hinge or some other spring, and a latch or magnet canbe used to keep the door section closed. In the depicted embodiment, thedoor section is shaped to provide clearance for a brake cartridge, andtherefore extends out from the mounting edge before it bends back towardthe saw blade to form something like a hump.

Portable table saws can include handles to make it easier for persons tocarry and/or move the saws. In the depicted embodiment, table saw 10includes handles 4800 and 4802, labeled in FIG. 3. Handles 4800 and 4802comprise openings in table 12 that extend all the way through the table.The bottom of the table adjacent the inside edge of each handle, i.e.,adjacent the side of the handle closest to the blade, is formed toprovide a comfortable surface for a user's fingers to curl around andgrasp, as shown at 4804 and 4805 in FIG. 18.

Housing 22 is shaped so that portions of the housing extend under thehandles to block a user from extending a hand through the handle andcontacting the blade or other internal parts of the saw. Recess 4807 isformed in housing 22 so that it is under handle 4800, as shown in FIG.129. Recess 688, discussed previously in connection with storage drawer500, is formed in housing 22 and includes a region 4808 that extendsunder handle 4802. The portions of the housing defining these recessesshield the internal mechanism of the saw from a user reaching throughthe handles. The bottom surfaces of the recesses can slope down so thatany dust or debris in the recesses will tend to fall out. The recessescan be shaped to include a curved surface where the housing extends uptoward the table to deflect fingers that might be extended too farthrough the handle and to direct anything falling through the handledown. The recesses are sized so that there is a sufficient distancebetween the bottom of the handles and the housing for a user to graspthe handle.

Both handles 4800 and 4802 are positioned inside the outer perimeter ofthe table, rather than on the edge of the table, and as close aspossible to the center of gravity of the saw, to make it easier to pickup the saw. The handles are also positioned a comfortable distance apartto make it easier to pick the saw up. Handle 4800 is positioned to theleft of the blade and spaced sufficiently away from the blade so thatthe housing under the handle does not interfere with the motor, theelevation mechanism or other internal components of the saw. Handle 4802is positioned to the right of the blade so that it does not interferewith the storage drawer and other components of the saw.

Table saw 10 also includes a handle 4810 formed in the bottom of thehousing on the right side (handle 4810 is labeled in FIGS. 40 and 41),and a similar handle 4812 formed in the bottom of the housing on theleft side (handle 4812 is labeled in FIG. 19). Two people can carry thesaw with each person holding the saw by one of these handles. Thehandles extend along much of the length of the sides and are wide enoughfor a person to use both hands in one handle. These handles also providea place for a user to grasp the saw and pull or slide the saw out of thebed of a pick-up truck or off of a work bench, for example.

Housing 22 includes a main body 4814 (labeled in FIG. 40 and shownisolated in FIG. 129), and a base 4816 attached to the main body (alsolabeled in FIG. 40 and shown isolated in FIGS. 130 and 131. Handles 4810and 4812 are formed in base 4816. In the depicted embodiment, the baseis injection molded out of plastic, and the base is shaped to includerecesses 4818 and 4820 that extend up to provide an open region toaccept a user's hand. The outer edge of each recess forms a lip 4822that a user can grasp. The top of each recess and the edges of therecess are curved to make the handle have a nice, smooth, ergonomicfeel.

As seen in FIGS. 130 and 131, base 4816 is formed with ribs and openingsin what may be thought of as a honeycomb pattern. The ribs are closeenough to prevent a user from reaching into the inside of the saw, andthe openings between the ribs allow sawdust to fall through. The heightand size of different ribs can vary to provide clearance for internalcomponents of the saw, as shown in FIG. 130.

Base 4816 can be joined to main body 4814 in various ways. In thedepicted embodiment, the base is screwed to the main body, so the baseand the main body include screw holes and bosses for the screws.

Main body 4814 can also include sockets that can be used to clamp ormount the saw to a cart or stand, such as sockets 4824 shown in FIG.129.

Table saw 10 also includes rubber feet 4826 (labeled in FIG. 41) thatscrew into receptacles 4828 on base 4816. In some embodiments, the feetcan be adjusted to level the saw.

INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY

The table saws described herein are applicable to woodworking,manufacturing, packaging, construction, carpentry, material processing,etc. The features described herein are applicable to power toolequipment.

It is believed that the disclosure set forth above encompasses multipledistinct inventions with independent utility. While each of theseinventions has been disclosed in its preferred form, the specificembodiments thereof as disclosed and illustrated herein are not to beconsidered in a limiting sense as numerous variations are possible. Thesubject matter of the inventions includes all novel and non-obviouscombinations and sub-combinations of the various elements, features,functions and/or properties disclosed herein. No single feature,function, element or property of the disclosed embodiments is essentialto all of the disclosed inventions. Similarly, the recitation of “a” or“a first” element, or the equivalent thereof, should be understood toinclude incorporation of one or more such elements, neither requiringnor excluding two or more such elements.

It is believed that the following claims particularly point out certaincombinations and sub-combinations that are directed to disclosedinventions. Inventions embodied in other combinations andsub-combinations of features, functions, elements and/or properties maybe claimed through amendment of the present claims or presentation ofnew claims in this or a related application. Such amended or new claims,whether they are directed to a different invention or directed to thesame invention, whether different, broader, narrower or equal in scopeto the original claims, are also regarded as included within the subjectmatter of the inventions of the present disclosure.

1. A saw comprising: a main table having a side; a blade configured tocut a work piece on the main table; a motor to move the blade; anextension table associated with the main table and configured to movefrom a retracted position adjacent the side of the main table to anextended position spaced apart from the side of the main table; and astorage compartment positioned below and to the side of the main table,where the extension table covers at least a portion of the storagecompartment when the extension table is in its retracted position andprovides access to the storage compartment when the extension table isin its extended position.
 2. The saw of claim 1, where the storagecompartment is a drawer that slides from a retracted position to anextended position.
 3. The saw of claim 2, where the drawer includes alid.
 4. The saw of claim 3, where sliding the drawer to the extendedposition provides clearance to open the lid.
 5. The saw of claim 2,where the main table covers at least a portion of the drawer when thedrawer is in its retracted position.
 6. The saw of claim 1, where thestorage compartment includes regions shaped to hold predetermined items.7. The saw of claim 1, where the storage compartment includes a regionshaped to hold a blade guard.
 8. A saw comprising: a table; a bladeconfigured to cut a work piece on the table; a motor to move the blade;and a storage compartment configured to store accessories and/orcomponents for the saw, where the storage compartment includes storageregions configured to hold predetermined items from moving when thestorage compartment and saw are tilted from a position where the tableis generally horizontal relative to the ground to a position where thetable is generally perpendicular to the ground.
 9. The saw of claim 8,where the storage compartment is a drawer that slides from a retractedposition to an extended position.
 10. The saw of claim 9, where thedrawer includes a lid.
 11. The saw of claim 8, where the storagecompartment includes a region shaped to hold a blade guard.
 12. A sawcomprising: a main table having a side; a blade configured to cut a workpiece on the main table; a motor to move the blade; an extension tableassociated with the main table and configured to move from a retractedposition adjacent the side of the main table to an extended positionspaced apart from the side of the main table; and drawer means forstoring components, where the extension table covers at least a portionof the drawer means when the extension table is in its retractedposition and provides access to the drawer means when the extensiontable is in its extended position.